Senior Reagan Labert was recently accepted into Yale University, an Ivy League college ranked in the top ten in the world, according to Times Higher Education.
Senior Iana Niknezhad was selected as an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia (UVA), with a plan to double major in neuroscience and economics.
For both of these students, a college application with a balanced range of extracurriculars and research projects impressed the admissions committee.
“I found what I liked and what I was passionate about,” said Labert. “I pursued those as far as I could go.”
Many people know Labert as a student researcher highly interested in biomedical sciences. She placed in the Tidewater Science and Engineering Fair and participated in multiple research projects at colleges like Virginia Tech and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). Her work was selected to be published in the Virginia Junior Academy of Science journal, and as a result, she was chosen to be its Co-Editor. However, contrary to popular belief, science was not the only component of her application.
“I knew that I really liked Latin, so I joined our Latin club here,” said Labert. “I got very involved and eventually became a state officer, which made a very big impact.”
Niknezhad had a diverse application as well. In addition to conducting research at EVMS with Labert as her partner, Niknezhad founded the Global Organization of Medical Assistance (GOMA) in September 2022. She is a ballerina at Ballet Virginia, where she also leads classes for younger students. For her work, she was recognized as a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship.
“I started GOMA because it was something I was passionate about,” said Niknezhad. “I also do ballet 24 hours a week, and I was a semifinalist for the Youth American Grand Prix, the largest ballet competition in the world.”
Colleges like to see such students. In the admissions process, there are normally two types of applications: rounded and spiked.
Well-rounded students do a few activities in all areas, including academics, sports, volunteer service and more. However, being well-rounded can lead to “anxiety and mental health issues,” according to Crimson Education.
On the other hand, a student with a “spiked” application has activities grouped heavily in one direction. This often shows a lack of depth and curiosity on the part of the applicant. Labert and Niknezhad chose to format their applications as a combination of both.
“You get to list 10 activities, so I applied with almost a rounded spike,” said Labert. “I tried to do a variety of activities, but [they were] mostly science.”
Both recommend that students interested in math and science should conduct research, which shows dedication towards the pursuit of in-depth knowledge. To support these endeavors, there are multiple classes available at Ocean Lakes, including AP Biology, AP Chemistry and AP Physics. In the end, it all comes down to eloquence, precision and passion.
“I made sure to be very specific,” said Niknezhad. “I tried to be real, honest and genuine in my essays.”
